Students trade summer holidays for work experience

Having fun while experiencing the workplace

Students in Southern Serbia and Sandzak put their summer breaks to good use learning about their possible future careers by taking part in a USAID-supported internship program.

In a recent poll, 72% of young people in Serbia said that they had no information about employment and education and that one of their major problems when applying for a job was lack of relevant skills and previous work experience or work practice.

In order to address this, USAID’s Economic Security program supported the organization of a Summer Internship program in the program’s target regions, i.e. Southern Serbia and Sandzak. Internships at companies provide an ideal solution for young people who wish to try out the line of work they are preparing to enter or simply to get a feel what working is like “in real life”. And, as many young people aren’t exactly sure what they want to do, getting some “live” practice in different fields can help them to decide which career track might appeal most to them.

A total of 38 companies in the fields of textiles, construction, food production, banking, as well as health institutions and media in Bujanovac, Presevo and Novi Pazar opened their doors to young high school students and gave them a chance to learn and test their knowledge and interests in the work environment.

There was overwhelming interest by young people in taking advantage of this opportunity. Over 200 young people applied to take part, and 50 of them were selected: 30 from Novi Pazar and 20 from Bujanovac and Presevo. The practice was really successful and its participants recommend it warmly to their peers. “I would recommend this program to everybody since it helps high school students to think about their future and their job when they finish school in a more serious and mature manner", said Amina Lekpek, who had her practice in accounting company Elite in Novi Pazar.

Seida Djerlek and Melisa Gusinac, both students of the Novi Pazar Textile High School, spent four weeks of practice at a factory specializing in the production of jeans and clothing “Big Boys Fashion Jeans”. “We managed to learn a lot in such a short time. We were introduced to the entire process of jeans production – from designing models to the chemical processes applied in this type of industry,” said Seida and Melisa. “We quickly picked up the knowledge and the skills needed to use drawing devices. This is a unique opportunity for us to be trained in our line of work, which will be our profession in future“, added the girls. The company management was pleasantly surprised by their work and were so impressed by a model they had designed, cut out and sewn that they included it in their regular production line. This model can now be found on the shelves in Novi Pazar shops.

Parents of the students were also enthusiastic. “As a parent, I am very pleased that my son got a chance to be a part of this program. He learned a lot in his line of profession. Acquiring work experience like this is an excellent idea for young people who can really have a hard time in getting their first jobs”, according to mother Mevlida Lekovic from Novi Pazar.

The Summer Internship project was implemented in partnership with Bujanovac and Presevo Development Agency (PBDA) and Sandzak Economic Development Agency (SEDA). Next year, USAID’s Economic Security program plans to extend its activities and support an internship program for at least 150 high school and university students and unemployed young people.